There is a significant demand for ceramic materials made from carbide compounds, because these materials have a very high melting/decomposition temperature and have several advantages over ceramic oxides. They are less brittle than the oxide-based ceramics and are harder materials than the oxides.
Silicon carbide is one of the least expensive and widely used carbides which can be used in fire and oxidation resistant applications if certain disadvantages of this material could be avoided. By itself, silicon carbide has disadvantages in fire-resistant and high temperature applications, in that it is quite brittle, has low thermal-shock resistance, and also exhibits low high-temperature strength and low heat-resistance especially in oxygen-rich environments at high temperatures (over 1600.degree. C.).
Russian author-certificate No. 666152 MKI C04B 35/36, 1977, describes a ceramic composite material containing silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, and aluminum-chromium-phosphate binder. However, this material has relatively low fire-resistance, very low high-temperature strength, and very low impact-resistance.
Thus, a continuing need exists for an improved ceramic composite material capable of achieving improved physical properties and performance characteristics for fire-resistance, heat-resistance, thermal shock-resistance, and impact-resistance.